Last Frontier KPBM March 2015

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regional economy | john powers
Confluence of attributes creates economic future
From the strategic confluence of four
primary community attributes (population,
land use, transportation and commerce)
springs a community’s
economic future.
Last October I wrote
about how communities
across Kitsap are in the
process of shaping Kitsap’s
economic future as
they update their longrange
comprehensive plans
(www.kitsapsun.com/kpbj/areas-compplan-udates).
I talked about the purpose
of community comprehensive planning in
order to anticipate and effectively manage
growth; and, how to assess, align and
aim community resources at a targeted
future.
I also shared my perspective on the importance
of garnering meaningful input
from all the various community stakeholders;
in particular, the business community
as ongoing investors in our collective
economic future. Over the past six
months, a great deal has already occurred
in the process of updating our comprehensive
plans, and much more will follow
in the next fifteen.
Last fall our Alliance provided market
data regarding our local economy at a series
of town-hall meetings hosted by the
county throughout Kitsap. In October our
Decision Makers II event focused on the
economic development aspects of projected
growth in the unincorporated urban
growth area of Silverdale. At our December
board meeting in Port Orchard, we
MARCH 2015 | 37
captured valuable input from many of the
largest private-sector employers in Kitsap
as to their future needs involving transportation,
infrastructure, workforce, zoning
and building permits, and maintaining
an overall vibrant business climate.
And, at our Alliance’s annual economic
forecast conference in January, we conducted
a web-based “instant survey” in
which scores of attendees provided direct
and instantaneous input on a variety of
questions pertaining to planning for Kitsap’s
economic future.
This survey yielded some predictable
and not-so-predictable responses. The
majority of respondents deemed the overall
business climate in Kitsap as average
to good (less than 5 percent ranked it as
poor). Most employers anticipated growing
and hiring more FTE’s this year —
matching the overall perception that Kitsap’s
economy is growing. And when it
came to identifying priorities in advancing
business opportunities, one out of
three identified “skilled workforce” as
their top priority.
On the not-so-predictable inputs, the following
selections surprised many as they
gleaned the immediate inputs: technology
see future | 38
market | from 27
zoning change that would allow buildings
of that height along Bay Street.
“What he really wants to see,” Ryan
said, “is he wants the market to succeed,
he wants the retail to succeed — he wants
the first one to two levels of every building
to be retail. And maybe a level of professional
(offices), and the rest of them
adult-living condos.
“People who want to be in a downtown
core, who want to be near the marinas,
who want to have views, and have the
money to do it. And those are the people
who are going to support the market.”
Will the market make it?
Brozovic said he suggested ways to generate
more sales at Bay Street Meat Co.,
such as adding a smoker at the shop, doing
barbecue outside in the vacant lot
next to the market and setting up an offsite
game processing operation. But nothing
came of the ideas.
Ryan said city codes won’t allow a smoker
in the market, though he recently spent
almost $10,000 on “a custom-built smoker/
rotisserie/grill, on a custom-made trailer,”
which will be used off-site since there’s
currently not space for it at the market.
It could be used as part of Hogfest, a barbecue
cook-off that Ryan envisions as a
countywide event and a big promotion for
the market in 2015.
Weekend special events held in recent
months to draw people to the market have
been organized by Katie King, who’s part
of the family-run seafood business. One
event was a chowder cook-off that Northwest
Seafood & Wine planned to host in
February, but it was canceled.
The seafood shop owners would not
comment on the status of their business
or whether they plan to stay at the market,
but some of the smaller vendors remain
optimistic that the market can thrive.
Though he’s no longer part of it, Brozovic
hopes that will happen.
“I wish them all the success,” he said.
“I would love to see that market actually
make it.”
As for Ryan, he remains enthused about
the market venture, and prospects for future
development downtown. Ryan said
after the recent news of Tommy C’s having
to move out of its site off Bethel Road,
he talked to owner Tommy Cash about relocating
his restaurant and bar into the
Myhre’s building.
That wasn’t feasible, but Ryan said he
and Samadpour are looking for a tenant
there and plan to improve the building’s
exterior appearance. That includes connecting
the roof of Myhre’s to the market
building to cover the vacant lot in between,
which Ryan said could allow for a
possible expansion of the market.
“The thing is, what I will give Don, he
is a dreamer,” Brozovic said. “And he is a
guy that can look at something and go …
what can I do here?”
Brozovic is back on his feet again, and
has returned to doing consulting work.
He’s actually working on a project being
built in Everett, a six-story apartment/retail/farmers
market development called
Potala Market Place that’s similar to what
Samadpour would like to develop in Port
Orchard.
The future in Port Orchard may or may
not include condo developments that
change the physical landscape. It’s unknown
whether Ryan can recruit other
small businesses to fill the current market
vacancies. And the question remains
on whether a marketing effort to attract
wider interest can be implemented as
the market’s second tourist season draws
near.
But according to Ryan, ever the pitchman
for business ideas, the viability for
his project beyond its challenging first
year depends on community support.
“If the local community doesn’t feel like
this is a good enough attraction for them
to come to, “ Ryan said, “we’re not going
to get enough support to keep it alive.”